What Will You Do When Your Favorite Carmaker Goes All-Electric?

 

The EU has instituted onerous fuel-economy and carbon-emissions rules, causing many European automakers to declare that soon they will be building only electric cars.  The EU determined that cars propelled by batteries emit no carbon that could be destroying Planet Earth; so they are prompting carmakers to quit making gasoline and diesel-powered cars.  These changes are imminent, with Volvo (now owned by a Communist Chinese company) having announced last year that by 2030 they will only be producing electric cars.  Just last week, Daimler, which makes Mercedes Benz cars, also announced that it will go all-electric by the end of the decade.  Jaguar has announced that it will be all-electric by 2025.

So, what if you have aspired to own a Jaguar or Mercedes. Will you buy that electric car and risk being on foot if the power goes out? What if you will never be able to trade in that gas-powered Volvo for the newest model? Are you looking forward to the government essentially owning your car? Most electricity is provided by government-sanctioned utilities, so you will have few options for fueling up if all you are allowed to own and drive will be some kind of electric car. General Motors and Ford have also announced that they will be moving to building mostly electric cars. California and Washington have already passed laws against gasoline-powered cars.

Note, however, one of the big holdouts. Toyota has announced that they will not be building an all-electric fleet.

Nearly every week, I read a new article describing how this or that automaker has declared that they will be only building electric cars in the future. Not one of those articles has yet addressed what I think of as the most important question. What if the people don’t want electric cars? What if all those buyers and drivers out there are not one bit interested in driving a car which they have to constantly worry about running out of charge?

What will you do?

Published in Economics
This post was promoted to the Main Feed by a Ricochet Editor at the recommendation of Ricochet members. Like this post? Want to comment? Join Ricochet’s community of conservatives and be part of the conversation. Join Ricochet for Free.

There are 185 comments.

Become a member to join the conversation. Or sign in if you're already a member.
  1. OkieSailor Member
    OkieSailor
    @OkieSailor

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    Since you guys are so smart about vehicles, do any of you have an opinion on how to see better in the rain? Coatings (RainX etc.) or better wipers?

    I think my new car is far more finicky about bugs and grime on the windshield or something.

    I have used  303 Marine Clear Vinyl Protective Cleaner on all rubber and vinyl parts including the wiper blades for several years. It is far superior to anything I find at Walmart or local auto parts stores. It not only makes the wiper blades last forever, they clean better too.  I got mine from Amazon but you can locate it at other internet sites too. A little goes a long way and treatment lasts about six months if your car is garaged.  I wish I’d found it sooner.

     

    • #151
  2. RufusRJones Member
    RufusRJones
    @RufusRJones

    kedavis (View Comment):
    Well I don’t think “compact nukes” and “decentralized grids” are the be-all/end-all, larger grids have their values and the February event illustrates that pretty well.  Even a “decentralized grid” with “compact nuke” isn’t likely to plan for a 50% or more “oversupply” that might be required in an extreme situation: heat, cold, equipment damaged by weather…

    Every area has to do a statistical / insurance analysis of what is going to happen to their weather. You are now going to tell me that every grid is going to make the same mistakes in the same direction, I get it. 

     

    kedavis (View Comment):
    Customers tend to be unwilling to pay for extra capacity that isn’t actually needed on a day-to-day basis.  The larger grid system can actually work very well, but it’s also been starved for support by people who seem to think all they should pay for is the ability to turn on one more light, not the ability to keep heating or cooling their home if a once-in-30-years-or-something event occurs.

    They shouldn’t do that.

    kedavis (View Comment):
    Perhaps some (larger) portion of utility costs needs to be seen as similar to car insurance:  something you pay for while hoping you never really need it.  Or more like a capital investment  – like the roof on their house – and not just a “consumable” like the food in the fridge.

    This is obvious to everyone now. 

    kedavis (View Comment):
    And it could be handled in a market way.  People who want the extra security pay their additional $1 or $2 a month or whatever. 

    Warren Buffett has already offered to do this for the whole system. He gave them a price and I’m pretty sure they said no. 

    kedavis (View Comment):
    It’s like the people who wanted to “play the market” by having “market rate” billing.  They saved maybe $10/month or whatever when things were good, and after Feb they maybe got a bill for $10,000, which is what the market cost was.  I think they should have been required to pay it, or gone without.

    The disclosures and so forth need to be investigated. I would never do it.

    • #152
  3. RufusRJones Member
    RufusRJones
    @RufusRJones

    OkieSailor (View Comment):

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    Since you guys are so smart about vehicles, do any of you have an opinion on how to see better in the rain? Coatings (RainX etc.) or better wipers?

    I think my new car is far more finicky about bugs and grime on the windshield or something.

    I have used 303 Marine Clear Vinyl Protective Cleaner on all rubber and vinyl parts including the wiper blades for several years. It is far superior to anything I find at Walmart or local auto parts stores. It not only makes the wiper blades last forever, they clean better too. I got mine from Amazon but you can locate it at other internet sites too. A little goes a long way and treatment lasts about six months if your car is garaged. I wish I’d found it sooner.

     

    I am going to order this right now. I saw a video about how you can use WD-40 in the same way. Thank you. 

    • #153
  4. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    OkieSailor (View Comment):

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    Since you guys are so smart about vehicles, do any of you have an opinion on how to see better in the rain? Coatings (RainX etc.) or better wipers?

    I think my new car is far more finicky about bugs and grime on the windshield or something.

    I have used 303 Marine Clear Vinyl Protective Cleaner on all rubber and vinyl parts including the wiper blades for several years. It is far superior to anything I find at Walmart or local auto parts stores. It not only makes the wiper blades last forever, they clean better too. I got mine from Amazon but you can locate it at other internet sites too. A little goes a long way and treatment lasts about six months if your car is garaged. I wish I’d found it sooner.

     

    I am going to order this right now. I saw a video about how you can use WD-40 in the same way. Thank you.

    I wouldn’t use WD-40, it actually attracts dirt.

    • #154
  5. RufusRJones Member
    RufusRJones
    @RufusRJones

    kedavis (View Comment):

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    OkieSailor (View Comment):

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    Since you guys are so smart about vehicles, do any of you have an opinion on how to see better in the rain? Coatings (RainX etc.) or better wipers?

    I think my new car is far more finicky about bugs and grime on the windshield or something.

    I have used 303 Marine Clear Vinyl Protective Cleaner on all rubber and vinyl parts including the wiper blades for several years. It is far superior to anything I find at Walmart or local auto parts stores. It not only makes the wiper blades last forever, they clean better too. I got mine from Amazon but you can locate it at other internet sites too. A little goes a long way and treatment lasts about six months if your car is garaged. I wish I’d found it sooner.

     

    I am going to order this right now. I saw a video about how you can use WD-40 in the same way. Thank you.

    I wouldn’t use WD-40, it actually attracts dirt.

    I think what they are doing is using it as a cleaning solvent. You don’t leave any on it.

    • #155
  6. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    kedavis (View Comment):
    Well I don’t think “compact nukes” and “decentralized grids” are the be-all/end-all, larger grids have their values and the February event illustrates that pretty well. Even a “decentralized grid” with “compact nuke” isn’t likely to plan for a 50% or more “oversupply” that might be required in an extreme situation: heat, cold, equipment damaged by weather…

    Every area has to do a statistical / insurance analysis of what is going to happen to their weather. You are now going to tell me that every grid is going to make the same mistakes in the same direction, I get it.

     

    kedavis (View Comment):
    Customers tend to be unwilling to pay for extra capacity that isn’t actually needed on a day-to-day basis. The larger grid system can actually work very well, but it’s also been starved for support by people who seem to think all they should pay for is the ability to turn on one more light, not the ability to keep heating or cooling their home if a once-in-30-years-or-something event occurs.

    They shouldn’t do that.

    But they do.  Lots of them, all the time.

     

    kedavis (View Comment):
    Perhaps some (larger) portion of utility costs needs to be seen as similar to car insurance: something you pay for while hoping you never really need it. Or more like a capital investment – like the roof on their house – and not just a “consumable” like the food in the fridge.

    This is obvious to everyone now.

    It should be, but I expect there are a lot of people in southern parts of Texas etc who would still refuse to pay anything else.  Especially now, since it just happened, and so they’re confident it can’t happen again for another ~30 years.

     

    kedavis (View Comment):
    And it could be handled in a market way. People who want the extra security pay their additional $1 or $2 a month or whatever.

    Warren Buffett has already offered to do this for the whole system. He gave them a price and I’m pretty sure they said no.

    I’m figuring Buffet would plan to make a profit from it, so I expect his “rates” would be higher than necessary.

     

    kedavis (View Comment):
    It’s like the people who wanted to “play the market” by having “market rate” billing. They saved maybe $10/month or whatever when things were good, and after Feb they maybe got a bill for $10,000, which is what the market cost was. I think they should have been required to pay it, or gone without.

    The disclosures and so forth need to be investigated. I would never do it.

    Me neither, but there are people who invest in the stock market assuming that it will never go down, or at least not enough to seriously hurt them.

    • #156
  7. RufusRJones Member
    RufusRJones
    @RufusRJones

    kedavis (View Comment):
    I’m figuring Buffet would plan to make a profit from it, so I expect his “rates” would be higher than necessary.

    He’s entitled to make a profit off of it and he can make it happen a lot faster than any other thing they could come up with. I’m sure both parties can figure out what price is good or just not do the deal.

    • #157
  8. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    kedavis (View Comment):
    Well I don’t think “compact nukes” and “decentralized grids” are the be-all/end-all, larger grids have their values and the February event illustrates that pretty well.  Even a “decentralized grid” with “compact nuke” isn’t likely to plan for a 50% or more “oversupply” that might be required in an extreme situation: heat, cold, equipment damaged by weather…

    Every area has to do a statistical / insurance analysis of what is going to happen to their weather. You are now going to tell me that every grid is going to make the same mistakes in the same direction, I get it. 

    Not really, but it’s far less likely for something like a “cold snap” or “heat wave” to hit EVERYWHERE at the same time.  The biggest problems I expect are the places that are removing hydroelectric facilities Because Gaea or whatever, and places like PRC (People’s Republic of California) which seem to be unwilling to have their own generation facilities regardless.  It’s true that places like New Hampshire and Seattle may not have much excess power capacity in Feb because they have winter too, but places like PRC and Florida and Arizona aren’t running a lot of A/C in Feb, so they have excess capacity that could be available over a larger grid, but not a decentralized grid.

    • #158
  9. RufusRJones Member
    RufusRJones
    @RufusRJones

    kedavis (View Comment):

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    kedavis (View Comment):
    Well I don’t think “compact nukes” and “decentralized grids” are the be-all/end-all, larger grids have their values and the February event illustrates that pretty well. Even a “decentralized grid” with “compact nuke” isn’t likely to plan for a 50% or more “oversupply” that might be required in an extreme situation: heat, cold, equipment damaged by weather…

    Every area has to do a statistical / insurance analysis of what is going to happen to their weather. You are now going to tell me that every grid is going to make the same mistakes in the same direction, I get it.

    Not really, but it’s far less likely for something like a “cold snap” or “heat wave” to hit EVERYWHERE at the same time. The biggest problems I expect are the places that are removing hydroelectric facilities Because Gaea or whatever, and places like PRC (People’s Republic of California) which seem to be unwilling to have their own generation facilities regardless. It’s true that places like New Hampshire and Seattle may not have much excess power capacity in Feb because they have winter too, but places like PRC and Florida and Arizona aren’t running a lot of A/C in Feb, so they have excess capacity that could be available over a larger grid, but not a decentralized grid.

    People shouldn’t live in areas that are poorly governed. 

    • #159
  10. Miffed White Male Member
    Miffed White Male
    @MiffedWhiteMale

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    kedavis (View Comment):
    Which can also affect coal plants, and others.

    I have never once heard this said by anyone.

    kedavis (View Comment):
    Then it becomes a calculation on whether it’s cost-effective to build power plants that can operate in weather conditions that might arise perhaps less often than even the plant’s expected lifespan.

    Well, it caused a lot of death, grief, and economic destruction. Everything should have been winterized.

     

    They were trying to heat the planet so they wouldn’t have to winterize.

    • #160
  11. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    kedavis (View Comment):
    I’m figuring Buffet would plan to make a profit from it, so I expect his “rates” would be higher than necessary.

    He’s entitled to make a profit off of it and he can make it happen a lot faster than any other thing they could come up with. I’m sure both parties can figure out what price is good or just not do the deal.

    There’s also the possibility that something like the Feb event could happen and Buffet wouldn’t be able to cover it all.  Or that he would just dispute it in court and drag things out so that it’s the same as not covering it.

    • #161
  12. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    kedavis (View Comment):

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    kedavis (View Comment):
    Well I don’t think “compact nukes” and “decentralized grids” are the be-all/end-all, larger grids have their values and the February event illustrates that pretty well. Even a “decentralized grid” with “compact nuke” isn’t likely to plan for a 50% or more “oversupply” that might be required in an extreme situation: heat, cold, equipment damaged by weather…

    Every area has to do a statistical / insurance analysis of what is going to happen to their weather. You are now going to tell me that every grid is going to make the same mistakes in the same direction, I get it.

    Not really, but it’s far less likely for something like a “cold snap” or “heat wave” to hit EVERYWHERE at the same time. The biggest problems I expect are the places that are removing hydroelectric facilities Because Gaea or whatever, and places like PRC (People’s Republic of California) which seem to be unwilling to have their own generation facilities regardless. It’s true that places like New Hampshire and Seattle may not have much excess power capacity in Feb because they have winter too, but places like PRC and Florida and Arizona aren’t running a lot of A/C in Feb, so they have excess capacity that could be available over a larger grid, but not a decentralized grid.

    People shouldn’t live in areas that are poorly governed.

    I agree with that too.  But until you can come up with a formula for making people responsible for their actions including how they vote, it’s what we’re stuck with.

    • #162
  13. RufusRJones Member
    RufusRJones
    @RufusRJones

    kedavis (View Comment):

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    kedavis (View Comment):
    I’m figuring Buffet would plan to make a profit from it, so I expect his “rates” would be higher than necessary.

    He’s entitled to make a profit off of it and he can make it happen a lot faster than any other thing they could come up with. I’m sure both parties can figure out what price is good or just not do the deal.

    There’s also the possibility that something like the Feb event could happen and Buffet wouldn’t be able to cover it all. Or that he would just dispute it in court and drag things out so that it’s the same as not covering it.

    I would say that all parties are required to do proper due diligence. 

    • #163
  14. RufusRJones Member
    RufusRJones
    @RufusRJones

    kedavis (View Comment):

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    kedavis (View Comment):

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    kedavis (View Comment):
    Well I don’t think “compact nukes” and “decentralized grids” are the be-all/end-all, larger grids have their values and the February event illustrates that pretty well. Even a “decentralized grid” with “compact nuke” isn’t likely to plan for a 50% or more “oversupply” that might be required in an extreme situation: heat, cold, equipment damaged by weather…

    Every area has to do a statistical / insurance analysis of what is going to happen to their weather. You are now going to tell me that every grid is going to make the same mistakes in the same direction, I get it.

    Not really, but it’s far less likely for something like a “cold snap” or “heat wave” to hit EVERYWHERE at the same time. The biggest problems I expect are the places that are removing hydroelectric facilities Because Gaea or whatever, and places like PRC (People’s Republic of California) which seem to be unwilling to have their own generation facilities regardless. It’s true that places like New Hampshire and Seattle may not have much excess power capacity in Feb because they have winter too, but places like PRC and Florida and Arizona aren’t running a lot of A/C in Feb, so they have excess capacity that could be available over a larger grid, but not a decentralized grid.

    People shouldn’t live in areas that are poorly governed.

    I agree with that too. But until you can come up with a formula for making people responsible for their actions including how they vote, it’s what we’re stuck with.

    Problem solved. 

     

     

    • #164
  15. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    kedavis (View Comment):

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    kedavis (View Comment):
    I’m figuring Buffet would plan to make a profit from it, so I expect his “rates” would be higher than necessary.

    He’s entitled to make a profit off of it and he can make it happen a lot faster than any other thing they could come up with. I’m sure both parties can figure out what price is good or just not do the deal.

    There’s also the possibility that something like the Feb event could happen and Buffet wouldn’t be able to cover it all. Or that he would just dispute it in court and drag things out so that it’s the same as not covering it.

    I would say that all parties are required to do proper due diligence.

    Oh come on.  Especially these days, that doesn’t necessarily mean a lot.  Even if they have a clause in the contract that “you will not take this to court,” they could take THAT CLAUSE to court and claim it’s unenforceable or something.

    • #165
  16. RufusRJones Member
    RufusRJones
    @RufusRJones

    kedavis (View Comment):
    Oh come on.  Especially these days, that doesn’t necessarily mean a lot. 

    The hell it doesn’t. Both parties have to figure out if it’s going to work, make a contract, and set a price. 

    It isn’t that much different for alternative solutions.

    • #166
  17. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    kedavis (View Comment):
    Oh come on. Especially these days, that doesn’t necessarily mean a lot.

    The hell it doesn’t. Both parties have to figure out if it’s going to work, make a contract, and set a price.

    It isn’t that much different for alternative solutions.

    Companies, including insurance companies, make contracts and set prices all the time, and then try to get out of it when the time comes to pay.

    • #167
  18. RufusRJones Member
    RufusRJones
    @RufusRJones

    kedavis (View Comment):

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    kedavis (View Comment):
    Oh come on. Especially these days, that doesn’t necessarily mean a lot.

    The hell it doesn’t. Both parties have to figure out if it’s going to work, make a contract, and set a price.

    It isn’t that much different for alternative solutions.

    Companies, including insurance companies, make contracts and set prices all the time, and then try to get out of it when the time comes to pay.

    You and I have a different definition of “due diligence”. If they think Warren Buffett is a cheat and a liar, or overly litigious that is part of due diligence. 

     

    • #168
  19. Steven Seward Member
    Steven Seward
    @StevenSeward

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    kedavis (View Comment):

    People shouldn’t live in areas that are poorly governed.

    I agree with that too. But until you can come up with a formula for making people responsible for their actions including how they vote, it’s what we’re stuck with.

    Problem solved.

    Interesting video but I don’t buy the guy’s argument at all.   He makes a nonsensical comparison between being a king and owning a house(!?)

    • #169
  20. RufusRJones Member
    RufusRJones
    @RufusRJones

    Steven Seward (View Comment):

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    kedavis (View Comment):

    People shouldn’t live in areas that are poorly governed.

    I agree with that too. But until you can come up with a formula for making people responsible for their actions including how they vote, it’s what we’re stuck with.

    Problem solved.

    Interesting video but I don’t buy the guy’s argument at all. He makes a nonsensical comparison between being a king and owning a house(!?)

    Here is a more complicated version of it lol

    http://financialrepressionauthority.com/2017/07/26/the-roundtable-insight-george-bragues-on-how-the-financial-markets-are-influenced-by-politics/

    • #170
  21. Phil Turmel Inactive
    Phil Turmel
    @PhilTurmel

    Decentralized grid != small grid.  The ideal is many small generators,  well-scattered, with a somewhat over-spec’ed grid tying them together.  The grid picks up the load for single or scattered outages, while local generators guarantee local power.

    Local generation near natural gas sources could have kept supply from crashing .

    • #171
  22. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    Phil Turmel (View Comment):

    Decentralized grid != small grid. The ideal is many small generators, well-scattered, with a somewhat over-spec’ed grid tying them together. The grid picks up the load for single or scattered outages, while local generators guarantee local power.

    Local generation near natural gas sources could have kept supply from crashing .

    I suspect it’s easier and less expensive to have especially above-ground electrical transmission lines rather than underground natural gas lines going to multiple scattered smaller generator facilities.

    • #172
  23. Phil Turmel Inactive
    Phil Turmel
    @PhilTurmel

    kedavis (View Comment):

    Phil Turmel (View Comment):

    Decentralized grid != small grid. The ideal is many small generators, well-scattered, with a somewhat over-spec’ed grid tying them together. The grid picks up the load for single or scattered outages, while local generators guarantee local power.

    Local generation near natural gas sources could have kept supply from crashing .

    I suspect it’s easier and less expensive to have especially above-ground electrical transmission lines rather than underground natural gas lines going to multiple scattered smaller generator facilities.

    There’s already gobs of underground piping infrastructure going all over the supply zones–it is how they get their product to market, after all.

    • #173
  24. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    Phil Turmel (View Comment):

    kedavis (View Comment):

    Phil Turmel (View Comment):

    Decentralized grid != small grid. The ideal is many small generators, well-scattered, with a somewhat over-spec’ed grid tying them together. The grid picks up the load for single or scattered outages, while local generators guarantee local power.

    Local generation near natural gas sources could have kept supply from crashing .

    I suspect it’s easier and less expensive to have especially above-ground electrical transmission lines rather than underground natural gas lines going to multiple scattered smaller generator facilities.

    There’s already gobs of underground piping infrastructure going all over the supply zones–it is how they get their product to market, after all.

    Electric service is way more ubiquitous than natural gas, many residential and commercial areas have no natural gas service at all.  Also the delivery requirements for a natural gas power plant are likely to require new/increased pipeline capacity at most locations especially for a “decentralized grid.”

    • #174
  25. Tex929rr Coolidge
    Tex929rr
    @Tex929rr

    kedavis (View Comment):
    Electric service is way more ubiquitous than natural gas, many residential and commercial areas have no natural gas service at all.  Also the delivery requirements for a natural gas power plant are likely to require new/increased pipeline capacity at most locations especially for a “decentralized grid.”

    This.  In our county maybe 5 square miles out of 663 has gas service.  Electric and phone is ubiquitous; for example both the phone and power coops are the only entities providing (competing) fiber optic internet service.  Many people have propane service but it’s a household tank with periodic deliveries of gas. 

    • #175
  26. Randy Weivoda Moderator
    Randy Weivoda
    @RandyWeivoda

    I was telling my wife about this post and comments and a thought occurred to me.  Although many people on the left prefer that we drive electric vehicles over gasoline or diesel vehicles, what they really want is for us to walk, ride bike, or if we really need more speed — ride those big, beautiful government-subsidized trains.  Does anything make a progressive’s heart beat faster than the idea of other people riding trains?  

    Let’s say we are 30 years down the road and we’re all driving electric cars and trucks.  Will we still be able to buy electricity for charging our vehicles at the standard rates?  Or will it occur to the Democrats of the future that there should be one price per kilowatt hour for running your washing machine and other household necessities and a higher rate for charging your vehicle, to discourage people from using their own private transportation?   It wouldn’t be hard for building codes to mandate that there be a separate electrical meter for the automotive charger.

    • #176
  27. RufusRJones Member
    RufusRJones
    @RufusRJones

    Randy Weivoda (View Comment):
    I was telling my wife about this post and comments and a thought occurred to me.  Although many people on the left prefer that we drive electric vehicles over gasoline or diesel vehicles, what they really want is for us to walk, ride bike, or if we really need more speed — ride those big, beautiful government-subsidized trains.  Does anything make a progressive’s heart beat faster than the idea of other people riding trains? 

    People need cars and trucks to move people and family around. They have far more utility. They don’t have this concept in their head very well if at all. There is no strategy to make electric cars work in this country. They are just forcing it and hoping for the best. 

    It’s just stupid communism.

    • #177
  28. EHerring Coolidge
    EHerring
    @EHerring

    The whole thing is madness. Much of what we need today depends on the byproducts of refining oil and coal ash. From all sorts of fuel to paint to plastics to chapstick, all are dependent. Even roads depend on the byproducts. What are we going to do? Keep refining and toss out the gas?

    • #178
  29. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    EHerring (View Comment):

    The whole thing is madness. Much of what we need today depends on the byproducts of refining oil and coal ash. From all sorts of fuel to paint to plastics to chapstick, all are dependent. Even roads depend on the byproducts. What are we going to do? Keep refining and toss out the gas?

    The refining process can be “tuned” to produce more or less of different products, but basically you always get SOME of each thing.  The gasoline that must be produced, to some degree, will probably go to the generators for people like Pelosi to keep her extra-premium ice cream frozen while the rest of San Fran has a blackout.

    • #179
  30. Flicker Coolidge
    Flicker
    @Flicker

    Randy Weivoda (View Comment):

    I was telling my wife about this post and comments and a thought occurred to me. Although many people on the left prefer that we drive electric vehicles over gasoline or diesel vehicles, what they really want is for us to walk, ride bike, or if we really need more speed — ride those big, beautiful government-subsidized trains. Does anything make a progressive’s heart beat faster than the idea of other people riding trains?

    Let’s say we are 30 years down the road and we’re all driving electric cars and trucks. Will we still be able to buy electricity for charging our vehicles at the standard rates? Or will it occur to the Democrats of the future that there should be one price per kilowatt hour for running your washing machine and other household necessities and a higher rate for charging your vehicle, to discourage people from using their own private transportation? It wouldn’t be hard for building codes to mandate that there be a separate electrical meter for the automotive charger.

    Yes, come to think of it, how many Kw does it take to charge a vehicle?  Most electric companies have a scaled rate, low for the first so many Kw used, then more for all Kw after that.

    • #180
Become a member to join the conversation. Or sign in if you're already a member.